This post has been significantly updated in content and format from its original form.
Having argued that Jesus is Lord, which gives him alone the right to order his Kingdom, and that there is one authority over all to which we must answer, which means there aren’t different standards for “secular” and “religious” spheres, and having argued that God has reserved vengeance for himself, now it’s time to ask the question that has divided how Christians engage with questions of war and politics for a long time: “can Christians serve in political or military vocations?“
Some answer by saying that such service is not only permitted, but even necessary (Just-War). Here the idea is that Christians should “Christianize” the world, including her political and military institutions, arguing that no one is better fit than Christians to ensure justice prevails. Those who argue this position often say “evil prevails when good men do nothing.” Others argue that such service is prohibited (Pacifism/Nonresistance). Here the idea is that Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world. Christians are “sojourners” in this world. And participation in the power-systems of this world would fundamentally compromise the Christian’s loyalty to the Lord. Those who argue this position often say “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”
My studies have synthesized a novel view that I hope can contribute a better answer to the challenges we have to navigate.
Let’s begin with one of Paul’s apostolic commands to the Church:
1 Corinthians 7:17–24 (CSB) — 17 Let each one live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called him. This is what I command in all the churches. 18 Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. 19 Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God’s commands is what matters. 20 Let each of you remain in the situation in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity. 22 For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of people. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person is to remain with God in the situation in which he was called.
I realize this passage might be unexpected, but I think it has value as an apostolic command that is not often considered in this discussion, so please hear me out.
Paul’s baseline command is that each person is to live their life in the situation the Lord assigned when they were called. He illustrates this command with circumcision and slavery, and provides several supporting principles, first telling Christians that what matters is not their circumstances, but keeping God’s commands, and then saying that our circumstances should not concern us, though, if the opportunity arises where they can be improved, by all means take the opportunity, teaching us that our circumstances are not immutable. From these we learn that each person should remain with God as they were called so that they can serve him where he has placed them. Put simply, it’s up to God to order our lives, and us to keep his commands wherever he leads us.
Political Service
So let’s deal with service in political office.
Some Christians view political service as incompatible with the Christian way of life because they see compromise as intrinsic to the role. However, if we grant the premise that God places his people in the circumstances in which he wants to serve them, I think we can see wisdom that will help us illustrated in the lives of men like Moses, who was raised in Pharaoh’s household, and Daniel, who was a Jewish noble taken into Babylonian captivity and placed into Nebuchadnezzar’s court. God placed these men where he wanted them to serve his purposes. Moses could not control the circumstances of his birth, nor did he have other choices when he fled Egypt, but he trusted God’s calling. Likewise, Daniel could not control the circumstances of Babylon’s conquest, but his education as a Jewish noble made him suitable for Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Neither of these men tried to control their circumstances through ambition, ideology, or greed. We see this in political figures like William Wilberforce, who was born into a wealthy merchant family in Kingston, attended St John’s College in Cambridge, and developed friendships with influential figures like Prime Minister William Pitt. God moved powerfully in Wilberforce’s life when he was a young man, creating a strong zeal for righteousness that compelled him to seek justice for the afflicted. His family station and personal connections to Pitt opened the door to political service. The providential circumstances of his life allowed him to act upon God’s will to bring justice to the oppressed. Each of these men, in their unique circumstances, kept the commands of God, being faithful to him even over human authorities and at great personal risk.
Someone whom God providentially raises up to serve his purposes within political realms can remain faithful to God, just as these men did, if they follow his word. They must speak with integrity (Matthew 5:37), refuse to listen to lies (Proverbs 29:12), abstain from seeking political retribution (Romans 12:17), behave honorably (Romans 12:17), faithfully administer justice (Jeremiahs 22:3), speak up for those who have no voice (Proverbs 31:8-9), keep themselves free from the corruption of money (1 Timothy 6:9-10), show no partiality and take no bribes (Deuteronomy 16:19), and forsake bitter envy and selfish ambition (James 3:14). In circumstances where following God in things like these were not permitted, then those whom God places in such vocations would be called to bear witness to God and suffer for his sake (Matthew 10:18), not even loving their own lives (John 12:25).
If “keeping God’s commands is what matters” (1 Corinthians 7:19) in our various life circumstances, then it necessarily follows that we can serve God in any vocation where we can be faithful to his way. I have no doubt that there are times in which no Christian could serve in political vocations simply because of the corruption in their time. But, that does not mean that Christians can never serve in such vocations.
Military Service
As messy as the question of political service might be, it’s nothing compared to military service:
First, we need to recognize the complexity of this question: some military forces have non-combatant roles, while others don’t; some are voluntary, while others are compelled; some are purely defensive, while others aren’t. In other words, the question of military service isn’t solely about the use of violence, although that’s one of the central questions that must be answered.
We see Dietrich Bonhoeffer – a committed pacifist – grapple with this complexity when he warmly embraced some of his former seminary students who had been conscripted into military service. Once he happened across one of his former students, who was fully decorated with combat medals, while traveling in a train station, and, when he saw him, he warmly greeted him and showed him great respect, asking sincere questions about the combat medals he had earned and showing great concern about his personal safety and well-being. He understood the complexity of this man’s circumstances, and he exercised grace upon grace. It’s precisely this nuance that I hope to achieve in my framework. We have to deal with a lot of questions. We have to think through how soldiers respond to immoral orders as well as how we respond to evil forces that pose a global threat. We have to think through service in non-combatant roles and forces that are designated as peace-keeping forces. One-dimensional answers simply won’t do when the test comes upon us (although our principles must be simple enough to be universal).
My essential argument is that Christians live under the exclusive authority of Jesus and serve as his witnesses to the ends of the earth. As a result, we recognize his providential ordering of our lives and use his commands to navigate the realities of the life we find ourselves inhabiting. Where this becomes so difficult is the apparent incongruity between God’s commands and the demands of military service.
So let’s look at a few relevant commands:
Matthew 5:9 (CSB) — 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Luke 6:27–28 (CSB) — 27 “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Matthew 5:39 (CSB) — 39 But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 10:16–18 (CSB) — 16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.
Jesus gives us direct commands that cannot be circumvented by the believer. We must pursue peace with everyone (Hebrews 12:14). And, while it’s true that some people won’t have peace with us (Romans 12:18), that doesn’t change how we respond (Romans 12:19-21). We must love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:27-28). To obey these commands we must not resist evildoers, but rather, be willing to accept their abuse (Matthew 5:39). No earthly commander has the authority to negate the Lord’s commandments (Matthew 28:18). And, while it’s true that God providentially uses worldly powers to administer his wrath (Romans 13:4), this doesn’t relieve the believer’s responsibility to keep these commands in their life because he nowhere explicitly calls his people to serve as his agents of wrath. However, it’s still true that Roman centurions became Jesus’ followers (Acts 10:34-35, 48ff), and they were not told to leave military service. Instead, John the Baptist told tax-collectors and soldiers to act justly (Luke 3:12-14). This application to modern times isn’t as simple as it sounds because the soldiers John was talking to were peacekeeping cohorts who did not see military combat. But their roles weren’t entirely devoid of complexity or even violence either.
I can conceive of only one resolution here: our answer must begin with “yes, Christians whom God places in military service can serve there, but only within the parameters of God’s commandments,” which enables those who become Christian during military service, along with those who are conscripted into such service, to find their way forward as his followers by pointing them back to his commands. But, this answer is incomplete until we provide the purpose for why God might place Christians into such service. God orchestrates such circumstances in his people’s lives so that they might serve as witnesses to those who are in power (Matthew 10:16–18; cf Revelation 6:9). Are there circumstances where Christians might serve as non-combatants, peacekeepers, or as those who are conscripted into military service? Yes. But in all these circumstances they are called to bear witness to the righteousness and justice of God. Our purpose in these places is not the same as the world’s purpose, and the light that guides how we navigate these circumstances must be the commands of God.
I have struggled in writing this because of an apparent contradiction: on the one hand, I appear to be saying “yes, they can serve“, while on the other hand saying “but only if they don’t.” In other words, it sounds like I’m saying Christians can serve in the military provided they don’t fight. And such an answer sounds utterly nonsensical. At least it does until one takes into account our founding principle: “Jesus is Lord.” For me, this essential Christian confession is the beginning of all Christian practice. Christians don’t serve human purposes in anything they do, but in everything, whether by word or in action, they do everything to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We cannot glorify God by breaking his commandments. But we have to recognize his providence. It’s entirely possible that God might call someone into non-combatant roles, as he did in WW2 with Desmond Doss (whose story was portrayed in the movie Hacksaw Ridge). Likewise, it’s entirely possible that Christians might be caught up in the middle of war, as some of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s students were when they were conscripted, and be asked to walk out their faith in brokenness before God. I can even imagine God placing someone in such circumstances as a witness to suffer and die for him. And I’m sure more informed individuals could come up with countless other scenarios like these. So, can a Christian serve in the military? I believe that is up to God. But how one lives, no matter their circumstances, that is a matter that has already been decreed by Jesus. So our principle must not limit God’s providence while it also calls for Christian faithfulness to the Lord.
Now to answer some direct questions:
Are Christians forbidden from any aspect of political service? Yes. Christians cannot engage in idolatry, corruption, or deception, nor can they swear absolute allegiance to anyone but Jesus. Wherever an oath, pledge, or duty would require these of us, we are either forbidden from such service, or must suffer in our refusal to compromise.
Can Christians kill in combat service? No. We are commanded to love our enemies. We cannot kill even when we believe the cause is just because vengeance belongs to God. We must trust God to administer his wrath as he sees fit while recognizing that’s not our role or calling.
Can Christians who kill in combat service find forgiveness? Yes. We are commanded to withhold judgment from our brothers and sisters. God will judge. But, he offers forgiveness by the blood of Jesus to those who confess their sins, are brokenhearted over them, and are striving to follow him by faith. Where we are weak, his grace is mighty! Where we fail, his mercy succeeds! So who are we to reject another who sins? God will discipline his children as he sees fit. But, we should not willingly seek roles that bring us into conflict with God’s commands, however, for those who find themselves in such roles, there is grace to meet their needs.
Are there other questions you’d like answered? Ask them below!
Principle Stated
Okay, so now it’s time to formulate and state all this in principle form:
Step one – clearly state the core idea:
Our core idea is that “Christians are meant to trust God’s providential ordering of their lives.“
Step two – define the scope:
We should understand that “our circumstances are not our determining concern, but rather, keeping God’s commands is what matters.”
Step three – justify the idea:
We must trust God’s providential ordering “because we were bought at a price so that we could remain with him.“
Step four – formulate the principle:
Christians are meant to trust God’s providential ordering of their lives, understanding that our circumstances are not our determining concern, but rather, keeping God’s commands is what matters because we were bought at a price so that we could remain with him.
A Dedicated Faith 